Begonia plant named Desire

ABSTRACT

A Begonia plant named Desire having double flowers orange in color, relatively large flower diameter, red pigmentation on upper and lower leaf surfaces, early flowers, tepal margin entire, long lasting flowers, and an ability to be propagated by stem or leaf cuttings.

The present invention relates to a new and distinctive cultivar ofBegonia plant, botanically known as Begonia hiemalis×Begonia fotsch, andknown by the cultivar name Desire.

The new cultivar was discovered by me as a seedling from a controlledcrossing of Tuberous Begonia Mikkelsen seedling 84-628-16, as the seedparent with B. socotrana Mikkelsen seedling 85-1016-3 as the pollenparent.

Asexual reproduction by both stem and leaf cuttings has reproduced theunique features of the new cultivar through successive propagations.

The following characteristics distinguish the new begonia from both itsparents and other begonias commercially known and used in thefloriculture industry. In the comparison, specific references are madeto previously patented cultivars, including St. Helena (U.S. Plant Pat.No. 6,329), Schwabenland Improved Orange (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 3,723),and Aphrodite Cherry Red (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 3,319).

1. Desire has orange flowers which are brighter in color than thelighter orange St. Helena and have more red pigmentation that the orangeflowered Lido (not patented) and Schwabenland Improved Orange.

2. Flower size is larger than any of the comparison cultivars, includingthe hanging basket type Aphrodite Cherry Red.

3. Desire is not double flowered as St. Helena but is more double thanAphrodite Cherry Red, the semi-double Lido, and the single SchwabenlandImproved Orange.

4. Desire is not as pendulous as Aphrodite Cherry Red but more pendulousin growth than the upright growing St. Helena, Lido and SchwabenlandImproved Orange.

5. Stem diameter is greater than Aphrodite Cherry Red, similar to St.Helena, but not as great as Lido and Schwabenland Improved Orange.

6. Desire has the most red pigmentation on lower and upper mature leafsurfaces. St. Helena has red pigmentation only on the lower surface, andAphrodite Cherry Red, Lido and Schwabenland Improved Orange have no redpigmentation. Desire has the deepest reddish green leaf of thecomparison cultivars.

7. Desire has rounded leaves similar in size and shape to St. Helena andSchwabenland Improved Orange, with Lido having a more pointed andslightly smaller leaf with more serration on the margin; AphroditeCherry Red has the smallest leaf but margin and shape are similar toDesire.

8. Desire has an average of 3 flowers per raceme, which is similar toLido and Schwabenland Improved Orange, while Aphrodite Cherry Red andSt. Helena have 4 to 5 flowers per raceme.

9. Desire has the heaviest red pigmentation in the stems and petioles onmature plants, followed by St. Helena, then Lido, with Aphrodite CherryRed and Schwabenland Improved Orange having red pigmentation mainly atthe nodal area.

10. Desire has a slight overlap of lower leaf nodes like St. Helena andLido, with Schwabenland Improved Orange being more overlapped andAphrodite Cherry Red having no overlap.

11. Desire has an entire tepal margin like Schwabenland Improved Orangeand Aphrodite Cherry Red, with Lido and St. Helena having a moreserrated tepal margin.

12. Will flower under long day conditions and is early flowering.

13. Propagates readily from both stem and leaf cuttings and breaks wellfrom pinch.

14. Flowers are long lasting, do not shatter when shipped, and are verylarge in size.

15. Good balance between leaf and plant size.

The accompanying colored photograph illustrates in top perspective viewthe overall appearance of the new cultivar, showing the colors as trueas it is reasonably possible to obtain in a colored reproduction of thistype. The photograph was taken in December 1988.

The following is a detailed description of my new begonia cultivar basedon plants produced under commercial practices in Ashtabula, Ohio, undergreenhouse conditions. Color references are made to the RoyalHorticultural Society Colour Chart except where general color terms ofordinary dictionary significance are used.

PARENTAGE

A controlled cross between B. tuber hybrida Mikkelsen seedling 84-628-16as seed parent and B. socotrana Mikkelsen seedling 85-1016-3 as pollenparent.

PROPAGATION

(A) Type cuttings: Leaf and stem cuttings. Leaf cuttings root in 18 daysat 21° C. in summer and 24 days at 21° C. in winter. Stem cuttings 2-3cm long root in 16 days at 21° C. in summer and 18 days at 21° C. inwinter.

(B) Rooting habit: Abundant, fine, fibrous (both leaf and stemcuttings).

(C) Time for shoot development: For leaf cuttings, 10 weeks in summer to13 weeks in winter to obtain shoots 4 to 5 cm long in length; for stemcuttings, 5 weeks in summer to 6 weeks in winter produce shoots 5-6 cmlong.

PLANT DESCRIPTION

(A) Form: Semi-spreading habit, strong stems that can hold the largeflowers without breaking; herbaceous, vigorous, suitable for 25 cmhanging basket production. Flowers cover the mounded plant in a hangingbasket.

(B) Habit of growth: Dense habit without opening between leaves. Goodbasal branching; usually vegetative shoots are formed at the basal nodesand flower shoots at the higher nodes.

(C) Foliage: Leaves simple, alternate, borne on strong petioles 5 to 6mm in diameter on mature leaves; there is a reddish cast on all agedleaf petioles.

(1) Size.--Can vary greatly with leaf position on plant, number ofshoots per plant, and environment; 11 to 12 cm across and 14 to 15 cmlong when mature.

(2) Shape.--Ovate to nearly orbicular with slightly overlapping lobes,slightly convex.

(3) Texture.--Leathery, glabrous.

(4) Margin.--Serrated.

(5) Color.--Young foliage: top side, between 200A and B; veinal area143A; under side, 183C. Mature foliage: top side, 148A with veinal area143B; under side, 176B with veinal area 143B.

(6) Venation.--Palmate; 6-7 major veins.

FLOWERING DESCRIPTION

(A) Flowering habits: Flowering in racemes, usually 3 flowers per racemewith many racemes in bloom at one time; flowering continuous more orless indefinitely.

(B) Natural flowering season: Will flower year around withoutcontrolling day length. Plants will flower earlier and more abundantlyif subjected to a reduced day length of 12 hours for 2-3 weeks when daylengths are longer than 12 hours.

(C) Flower buds: 20 mm long and 30 mm wide just before opening, tepalsare entire around margins; color 43A just before opening and 43C whenimmature.

(D) Flowers borne: On strong pendulous peduncles that are reddish incolor and 3 to 4 mm in diameter.

(E) Quantity: Average of 3 flowers per peduncle, opening in sequence asraceme develops. Total number of flowers will vary with number offlowering shoots per plant.

(F) Tepals:

(1) Shape.--Outer, almost rounded; inner, more heart shaped.

(2) Color.--Top side in winter when opening between 43A and 43B, fadingto between 44C and 44D.

(3) Number of tepals.--More than 20.

(4) Size of tepals.--Outer, 45 to 50 mm wide, 30 to 35 mm long; inner,30 mm wide, 25 mm long.

(5) Flower size.--7 cm in diameter; however, environment can affectsize.

(G) Reproductive organs:

(1) Stamens.--None as plant is fully double with anthers appearing aspetals.

(2) Pistels.--(a) Stigma shape: curled, color gold. (b) Style color:greenish-purple. (c) Ovaries: 3 in number, 10-15 mm in diameter, winged,reddish-green in color.

DISEASE RESISTANCE

Desire has shown resistance to powdery mildew.

I claim:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of Begonia plant named Desire,as illustrated and described.